Income Support and Bursaries
Centrelink Assistance
Centrelink is the Australian Government Agency responsible for the payment of assistance benefits on behalf of a range of government departments. There are a range of financial assistance payments available to students; by way of income-tested schemes which include:
- Youth Allowance assists full-time students and new apprentices aged between 16 and 24.
- Austudy is the income support payment for students aged 25 years and over undertaking qualifying study
- ABSTUDY is a government scheme aimed at encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to take advantage of educational opportunities
These allowances are usually paid fortnightly during the period of eligibility.Centrelink also provides:
Health Care Card: entitles you to reduced medicine costs as well as a limited number of other concessions.
Rent assistance can be paid in addition to Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY for eligible students.
Scholarships are automatically provided to eligible students to assist with the costs of studying and living away from home.
Youth Allowance
Youth Allowance provides financial help for young people who are studying full time, undertaking a full-time Australian Apprenticeship, training, looking for work or who are sick.
You may be able to get Youth Allowance if you are:
- 18 to 24 years old and studying full time
- 16 to 24 years old and undertaking a full-time Australian Apprenticeship
- 16 to 21 years old and looking for full-time work or undertaking approved activities.
If you do not have a Year 12 Certificate or equivalent qualification (certificate II or above), you will have to undertake study or training in order to qualify for Youth Allowance.
You may be eligible for Youth Allowance if you are 16 to 17 years old and undertaking full-time secondary study if:
- you need to live away from home in order to study; or
- you are considered independent for Youth Allowance
ABSTUDY
ABSTUDY is a government scheme aimed at encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to take advantage of educational opportunities, to promote equity of educational opportunity and to improve educational outcomes.
Austudy
Austudy provides financial help for full-time students and Australian Apprentices. You may be eligible for Austudy if you are aged 25 or over.
You must be:
- Studying full time in an approved course at an approved educational institution; or
- Undertaking a full-time Australian Apprenticeship or traineeship.